Meet Macy Ring of The Ginger Rabbit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Macy Ring.

Hi Macy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Cesar Chavez once said, “The people who give you their food give you their heart.” Being a first-generation Cambodian-American, communicating with my mother was always difficult because my first language is English, not actually Khmer. However, I never questioned if my mother loves me. Her love language has always been acts of service, specifically through food and cooking for others. Once you tell her you like a dish of hers, she will keep making it for you until you grow tired of it! She also regularly prepares food to donate to her local Buddhist temple. Even though my mother and I can not speak Khmer very well with one another, I, as well as her communities, understand her love and care through her gifts of food.

My family and I grew up very poor, receiving government assistance throughout much of our lives. I am the oldest of six children, so one can imagine how arduous it must have been with so many mouths to feed. A dream my mother always had was for at least one of us to run a business. It was not until last year, I actually felt ready to become an entrepreneur. I was working in higher education for almost two decades advising students. During this time, I learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of. I learned I can be a strong leader, which can extend to being a successful business owner. I found the confidence and the creative smarts within myself to chart a course towards becoming my own boss. I hope to live out my new dream of being an entrepreneur not just for myself, but for my mother.

I reside in Yucca Valley, California, the largest economic hub in the Morongo Basin and a gateway community next to the world-famous Joshua Tree National Park. Having lived here since 2018, I realized the need for more diverse amenities and experiences. Yucca Valley, according to the 2020 census, has a population size of 21,738, with the Asian population being less than 2%. All this to say, there are no Asian markets in this area, at least not one that is consistent or reliable. Most residents in the Morongo Basin will travel either 40 minutes or more to the Palm Springs area and/or west to Orange or Los Angeles Counties to stock up on Asian ingredients.

The conclusion was clear for me: to open a specialty Asian-American market in Yucca Valley, and purvey artisanal, high-quality Asian AND American foods and beverages for local residents of the Morongo Basin. I wanted to open a store that not only challenges the “international/ethnic aisles” in mainstream grocery stores, but also what it means to buy Asian ingredients. Soy sauces, chili crisps, noodles and rice, do not have to be cheap nor cheaply mass produced. That they can be American-made (or abroad) using high-quality ingredients in small batches, for example.

I opened the doors of The Ginger Rabbit for business on April 4, 2025. My brick and mortar storefront is less than 1000 square feet. It is impossible to carry everything one might expect to find in an H-Mart or 99 Ranch Market. Instead, I focus on offering high-quality artisanal staples from new and exciting brands representative of many Asian countries, as well as curating produce boxes of hard-to-find Asian vegetables and fruits. It is very rewarding to share new, diverse, and exciting brands of Asian and American food products to my customers. Brands like Mama Teav’s, which is a woman-owned AAPI chili crisp business from Oakland, CA. There is tremendous joy for me to not only talk about new Asian food brands, but to also share recipe ideas/tips and stories about my Khmer heritage with my customers. I now understand my mother’s food love language, and this year, have been living it everyday engaging with my customers in conversations around food!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been mostly smooth. The community has welcomed my store concept and I’m happy to report I have actual regulars, who were once strangers, who I’ve come to befriend. They trust and believe in what I do. I have not had any zero-dollar days because of the nature of running a food and beverage business – everyone’s got to eat! It’s been especially great this year because my store now accepts EBT SNAP benefits, so I’m reaching an even wider demographic in my area. My store has been rated two years in a row “Top 3” of the Hi-Desert Star’s “Best of the Best” for the Morongo Basin and a “Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave” for 2025 and again for 2026.

I would say one of the constant struggles for my store is maintaining a diverse inventory that satisfies various customer preferences. From products that are organic, gluten-free, vegan to low sugar and low sodium to mild spicy to hot spicy. The footprint of my store is less than 1000 sqft. It’s not possible for me to carry everything under the sun in terms of Asian-inspired foods and beverages; however, this has been an opportunity for me to rotate through various brands and products each month. Everyday I’m researching the latest trends and emerging brands, and their stories, to share with my customers.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Ginger Rabbit?
We are a niche artisanal Pan Asian-American pantry shop located in the beautiful town of Yucca Valley, CA just minutes from the world-famous Joshua Tree National Park. The Ginger Rabbit is one-of-a-kind in the Morongo Basin. My business has been able to draw and retain a variety of local customers, who appreciate how I’ve specially curated the store with thoughtful, change-making food and beverage brands and products to help them make authentic Asian dishes at home.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Asian consumer product goods (CPG) are on the rise according to CNBC and other news sources (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/29/asian-foods-beyond-ethnic-aisle.html). They’re going beyond the “ethnic food aisle” and sitting in other aisles like oils, snacks, frozen foods, and sauces. For example, Algae Oil Cooking Club is the latest in a high smoke-point neutral cooking oil that is also sustainably made and offers two Asian inspired oils: shiitake and Korean red chili. They just made it on the shelves of Whole Foods. There is a lot of room for more new brands to come out with more new products in Asian-inspired flavors.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegingerrabbit_market

Image Credits
Jessica Castro
Daniel Cullen Najarian